


Kith and Kin

by indubitanter



Category: Assassin's Creed, Dishonored (Video Game), Thief (Video Games)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-04
Updated: 2014-09-16
Packaged: 2018-02-16 02:49:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2253117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indubitanter/pseuds/indubitanter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The city of Dunwall is as unforgiving as it is cruel, and those within its courts even more so. After finding two stray boys, Garrett and Ezio, on the palace grounds, Jessamine and Corvo make it their duty to care for them as they would Emily, and live as much together as a family as they can. Hiram Burrows, however, has another plan, one that threatens to tear the entire empire (and its royal family) apart. Ongoing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> THIS ESSENTIALLY STARTED OUT AS A MEME ON PLURK AND SPIRALED OUT OF CONTROL- the question was "My character is now a child and stuck with yours, WHAT HAPPENS." Thanks to roleplay, my main muses are mostly Ezio and Garrett, and I just recently finished a low chaos runthrough of Dishonored (my feels for this game LET ME TELL YOU THEM). My friends brought up the idea of Garrett being in Dunwall and Ezio as well, and then there was the mentioning of Emily needing playmates/siblings and everything went downhill from there. There's no real chapters, just a collection of points and eventually I hope to push through the Dishonored canon and past that. 
> 
> NOTE: Corvo's journey is via high chaos, and certain events will be drawn out/pushed further than in canon. Expect things to get a lot worse before they get better.

He finds the first boy hiding in behind a stack of long, elongated crates, buried in the depths of one of the storage decks by the Empress’ port. There’s been reports of things going missing- small things, unimportant, yet annoying to disappear all the same. A set of coins, a pair of locks, some copper wire, bread, several tins of canned food; they’re entirely harmless on their own, and even together it doesn’t seem like they’d do much at all. The guards complain to him that there’s some animal going around and taking these things, though they’ve yet to catch it, and Corvo has a hard time believing that these items would be taken without any purpose (It doesn’t make sense, no animal would take them, they’d have no interest, not when they’re not connected).

So one night he sets up a trap of sorts- an inconspicuous can of whale meat, a small pack of Kingsparrow feathers, a pouch stuffed with papers instead of coin- all gathered nice and neat, just barely in sight to the guards making their patrols. Corvo waits while they do their rounds, carefully placing himself to keep both his trap and the others in view, saying little, other than noting for them to go about their way. One round, two, three, four; the hour seems to pass and the items remain untouched, leaving him to wonder if the culprit will show themselves at all.

Then, there’s the sound of pottery breaking as a nearby vase erupts, two of the guards easily jolted and quickly making their way towards the mess. It’s followed by a second _thump_ , and they pick up their pace. Corvo almost follows in their footsteps, but his gut tells him to look back to the trap instead. Sure enough, his eyes catch the glimpse of copper wire being brought out, its shape similar to that of a fishhook, trying to snatch everything in one go. He moves quickly, eyes noting where the suspect could be (the crates seem the most likely hiding place), and as he approaches he can’t help but notice the small hands that are at the end of the wire as they tug the items away.

An animal would not have small hands, but a child _would_. His heart sinks a little as he rounds behind the packages of boxes and sees what only confirms his suspicions- childish big brown eyes stare back in absolute terror through the openings. He crouches to be at the boy’s height, quietly gesturing for him to come out, and the boy refuses. The guards who were distracted return to their post, noticing him and know better to approach when Corvo throws them a _look_ that says so. It takes great patience and much coaxing to bring the boy out, a mess of black hair and ragged clothes, hands dirty and a face that had stopped crying many months ago. The man goes to gently touch the boy’s face and he _flinches_ , as if threatened by a hot poker, and Corvo has to wonder what kind of terror he’s faced to be so afraid of something so simple. A hand is placed on his back and immediately the boy wails, the man pulling it away instantly, drawing back a stain of faded red, still sticky in his palm. His face darkens, and in a single moment he picks the boy up from where he stands, careful of where to hold him, and brings him inside.

He spends a good amount of time cleaning the other, wiping his face (despite the whimpering protests of being touched, it’s always done slowly and carefully, to let him know it’s not malicious but with good intent), getting the dirt off his hands, and tidying him up in general. It’s all done in silence, never once saying a word, only letting actions speak instead of the emptiness that they both know comes with promises. Washed, dried, and given a set of clean clothes, he sits on a bed and idly kicks his feet, his little arms wrapped around himself like a cocoon, protecting him from everyone and everything he comes across.

At the end of the night Corvo asks if the boy has a name, and how old he is. He pauses, staring back at the Lord Protector for what seems like hours, before finally speaking.

His name is Garrett, and he’s eight years old.

\---

Garrett stays in one of the bedrooms just offside the barracks, ignoring the officers (defiantly staring back at them, as if they’re the vile ones, not him) and saying a little more to Corvo as each day passes, slowly starting to come out of his protective shell. The guards call the boy a rat when Corvo isn’t near, saying he’d be better off in the sewers or possibly even the sickly alleys of the distillery. Several times they come close to throwing him out, only being stopped by their fear of what may happen if the Lord Protector returns in the evening to find the boy gone. He gets called a thief and a liar, scum and wretched child; he retaliates by stealing their coin, their cigars, takes their gambling cards and replaces them with blank cardstock. They kick him when they catch him, threaten to grab rods and beat him, sounds of sneers and jeers followed by shrieks and quiet sobs, a pattering of feet that disappears as quick as it can. Corvo finds him with a hoard of trophies all in one spot, under a staircase no longer used by the guards, rubbing his eyes and refusing to cry. _He’s too old for that_ , he tells Corvo, stubbornly defiant and still yet just a boy. Garrett doesn’t see the point in ignoring them because no one here ignores him, doesn’t get why he has to be good when they’re mean, so why should he be kind when they aren’t?

Leaving Garrett here is a poor choice, but he has few options until he can speak with Jessamine. Every day that he stays there, the bolder he gets, but also more reckless (if he isn’t careful, he could be seriously hurt, and things could be so much worse for him). He worries the boy will one day act out in such a way that the guards will cripple him, or throw him into the waters below, leaving him for dead. It takes everything he has to not simply take the child and throw him on the Empress’ lap, demanding he be kept safe, kept warm, given a home. Corvo needs time, and a chance to speak when other ears aren’t pressed to the walls, waiting to hear of something to spread rumors into the nooks and crannies of Dunwall. He knows she’ll listen, but finding the place to do so without so much judgment on her shoulders is a task sometimes in and of itself.

He’ll do what he must, though. This boy needs every scrap of help he can get.

The day finally comes and he has to inwardly struggle from getting a headache. Corvo brings Garrett clothes, fresh and new, and has him wear them despite the boy trying to wriggle out of it repeatedly. _It’s hot and stuffy_ , Garrett whines, trying to take the fancy little cuffs off his sleeves, and Corvo has to redo his outfit again and again and again, each time barring the boy from leaving until he wears his clothes properly and doesn’t try to ditch them. A few times the eight year old bolts and the Lord Protector has to grab him just as he passes through the door, squealing and protesting the entire time and throwing a fuss, legs kicking in every way possible. Finally, he sits the boy down long enough to give him a _look_ , one that says he expects good behavior and that this is something important. Garrett fidgets and bites his lip, but at last they’re ready to go, and he walks very quietly by his side, never straying far. Corvo makes sure his hands and his face are clean, his clothes are in order, that his chin is held up and he doesn’t look down, because the Empress will want to see his face.

They walk through the main hall and up the stairs (and the maids whisper about them both, how a homeless child came into Corvo’s sights), to one of the many rooms that serves for offices and quarters for those that serve under the Empress. The Lord Protector guides him gently into her office, Garrett feeling smaller than ever and immediately wanting to run. His eyes look up towards the desk, noticing several papers, writing utensils, a magnifying glass and other unimportant things.

And then he sees Jessamine.

Corvo watches as the boy automatically straightens himself when his eyes meet hers, and there is a kindness in her face that she does not show to others, is not _allowed_ to show, that greets him in return. He is small and frail, afraid and alone, and she wants nothing more than to simply throw her arms around him and embrace him like her own child. Jessamine rises from her seat and gently approaches them, looks to Corvo for an explanation and he gives her one, and kneels to be the same eye level as Garrett is. Her words are soft, kind, asking the other _Where did you find him_ and _How old is he_ , her hands carefully touching him and trying to comfort whatever she can. She’s about to touch his back when Corvo stops her, indicates there’s wounds there and they still hurt, and Garrett shrinks in upon himself, almost certain she’ll turn him away. But Jessamine only cups his tiny face in her hands, eyes that are hurting and sad, and quietly speaks.

 _You won’t ever have to be afraid again_ , she tells him. The boy blinks hard, little chest rising and falling quickly, keeping his mouth shut even though it’s evident he wants to cry. The Empress brings him close, wipes a thumb across his face, and scoops him into her arms.

It’s the first time he’s felt safe, felt secure, felt _at home_.


	2. Chapter 2

The months within Dunwall seem to change as effortlessly as the water that flows through the city itself, and time stays in motion, regardless of anyone who tries to stop it. Garrett has begun to adjust to living within the palace walls, a mess of fidgeting and fussing, sneaking around the halls even when it’s not necessary. The maids run after him when he escapes from being told to take a bath, sulks and frowns when they try to teach him manners or educate him with their lessons for the day, bats their hands away when they try to dress him properly. More than once Corvo has been called upon to settle the boy down, to step in and speak with him gently, quietly, to calm him when he gets wound up so tight he withdraws into himself and won’t let anyone touch him (he worries for the boy, worries that this life is something he will never get used to and one day he’ll return to find Garrett gone). At one point Garrett is found stealing food from the kitchen, and Corvo immediately takes him, gently wipes his face, and brings him to Jessamine, so she can have him understand he no longer needs to steal, only ask for food instead. Garrett hangs his head, ashamed, and her heart breaks as she embraces him once again. He has been through so much at such a young age, and he knows so little of what life is like outside of surviving. It kills her, because a child should not spend their life in fear, they should spend it being children.

It is the courtyard that greets the Lord Protector this day, the winds cooler than he last remembers, the faint scent of perfume mixed with whale oil stuck in the air. He can hear Garrett and Emily playing off in the distance, childish shouts of joy and surprise amidst the sounds of the sea that come to his ears. He leans against the door frame to the entrance, close to the children yet not completely in sight- Garrett has increasingly grown into a habit of acting good around Corvo and then getting into trouble the second he turns his back. It’s even starting to rub off on Emily. The both of them are troublemakers and it isn’t helping, especially since Emily is turning ten soon, and even at age nine she causes problems with the maids close by.

Thankfully, others have been keeping an eye on the children even when Corvo cannot. Thaddeus Campbell enters and leaves the palace sparingly, noting where they are and mentioning it to the Lord Protector in quiet words. Anton Sokolov chases them away from his work, paintbrush waving to and fro in frustration as they giggle and run off, splotches of paint in their hair. Other officers and guards report when he can’t see them, and they never stray too far from anyone’s sight in particular. Still, they are children and children do what they do best- cause trouble and play with everything they can.

There is one, however, that he has told the both of them to leave be- the Royal Spymaster. Fun as it may be, Corvo has no intention of giving Hiram Burrows any chance to possibly throw Garrett out, the disdain for a lower class stray apparent in his tone since the day he saw him (it bothers the both of them, both Burrows and Corvo, that the other would care so much about the boy with the complete opposite emotion- Burrows despises the boy, turns his nose up at him and insists he will never be royalty. Corvo defies that view and teaches Garrett the ways of the palace, of the military, and how life for nobles really is). There have been times where something has broken by accident, or one of the children falls and hurts themselves, and Burrows is the first there to accuse the boy of being at fault- whether or not it’s true always varies. He is loyal, has little tolerance for sloppy work as well as laziness, is curt and quick and does not yell or raise his tone often. There is class in his walk and he knows his place far better than most.

So when his voice is heard loud enough to carry through the courtyard, Corvo’s first thought is that something the guards have said or done has him in a bit of a fit, moreso than usual. It’s not until the wail of a child’s voice that comes to his ears does he look up from where he is, bolting, his thoughts immediately rushing to thinking that Burrows is yelling at Garrett.

When he arrives, however, it’s not who he thinks it is, eyes noticing an older boy shuffling behind a column as Burrows tries to pull him out from behind it. _Come here, boy, I’ll have you whipped for climbing the Tower!_ Burrows dives after him, the other moving quickly to another pillar to hide behind it, squeaking a little in fear. _Wretched little unwanted bastard_ , he says, fury in his movements, Burrows not taking anything kindly and not noticing that he’s drawing a bit of commotion over to where he is. The Lord Protector steps towards the man at that, hand grabbing Burrows’ arm as it raises and a gaze reminding him calmly that there are others present. The Royal Spymaster balks, _This street rat was caught snooping around where he shouldn’t be_ , and Corvo looks between the both of them before letting Burrows’ arm go, and moving to the boy, getting to his eye level. Long brown hair tied back into a ponytail and tucked away, brown eyes that are incredibly clear, clothes that are ratty and face full of dirty streaks, but he doesn’t shy away when the Lord Protector inspects him, instead choosing to stand up straighter and tugs at his clothes almost as if to present himself. He’s young- older than Emily or Garrett, but still enough of a child to be one, and his eyes follow Corvo closely for quite some time. It’s not until his makeshift clothes are lifted and the man sees what’s underneath does he pause, the memories of a time when he was younger, the colors vivid and bright, his father telling stories all coming back to him so quickly he has to blink and shake himself back into reality, eyes rising up towards the other’s.

The boy isn’t from Gristol at all. He’s Serkonan.

Corvo stands once he’s done looking over the other, giving a glance to Burrows that has the older man protesting immediately. _You’re not serious about having the Empress think of taking another stray in_ , he argues, _he has fleas, at least bathe him before you make such a rash decision._ The young boy scowls at that, eyes that darken immediately, indicating a temper that is sure to follow. Corvo gives the slightest grin back at the Royal Spymaster, pointing out that it is he who is taking these strays in, not her, that they train guards young in Serkonos, so why not do the same in Gristol?

The look on Burrows face is equivalent of a cat being denied food, nostrils quietly flaring as he briskly turns and walks off, leaving the two alone. The second he is gone, the boy blurts out his thanks, shaking, afraid Burrows was going to hit him or worse. Corvo nudges him to come with him, towards the palace, towards warmth and safety, learning his name along the way. The boy is eleven, has been on his own for two years on the streets, and his name is Ezio.

\-------------------

Ezio’s meeting with Jessamine is an easy one, her taking to him like a long lost mother looking for her son. There’s great care in giving him a bath, stroking his hair and making sure he’s clean, drying him from head to toe (and he laughs and smiles widely, and the maids who watch over him adore him and wish Garrett was just as easy and as good as Ezio was), and giving him new clothes. From there, he’s taken out to the courtyard once more, and Garrett and Emily are called to meet him. Corvo watches as Emily happily greets him, all smiles and bright eyes, excited to see a new face. Garrett, however, has a different reaction. Puffing up his tiny chest, he scrunches his face, trying to look intimidating to a boy who is not only older but taller than he is, eyes looking up defiantly. Ezio stares back at Garrett for a good minute or so, not saying anything, the two of them standing there looking at each other, until Ezio finally breaks the mold and pokes Garrett on the nose, giggling. That causes the other boy to sputter, face looking indignant, before shaking his head vigorously and chasing after Ezio.

Soon enough, all three are running around and playing tag, lost in the innocence they never had at a younger age. Corvo watches them as they scamper off, eyes them as they pass through the gardens and out into the open area of the courtyard, and gives a simple wave to the guards to keep them in their sights.

Inside, the Lord Protector is called towards the offices once more, passing by officers and nobles as they make their way to and from the halls of business. It the usual droll and boring setup that comes with being on the high end of society- a place that demands politics and bias be one in the same. Corruption is abound and while the Empress does her best to keep things from getting worse, there are those who would rather have others hang for the treason they themselves have done. Corvo is no stranger to the ways and the backwinding tricks made to keep secrets, nor of the cruel intentions others may have. He simply chooses to stay away from it, like severing strings that try to latch onto his arms and tether him towards an unfit end.

There is one door that remains open as he passes, and just as he does, he’s called in by the very man he humiliated earlier. Burrows immediately chastises him upon his entrance, throwing words here and there about how the reputation of the Empress and how it must be upheld at all costs. There’s statements, accusations, an insistence somewhere that rules must be kept and that he is doing everything he can to make sure Dunwall is safe and runs smoothly for her Majesty. _That cannot be done if you simply forego where we all stand in society_ , he quips, feet pushing together to stand tall and proper, a proof of his elegance.

Corvo simply watches him for a good moment of silence, crosses his arms, and then finally tells him that he knows that Burrows is concerned about the Empress and her work, about how the city must be taken care of, and that out of anyone else, Burrows is the most loyal one he knows who will help her guide Dunwall. When the Spymaster begins to quarrel, saying that while the trust is valued and he appreciates it, there will be rumors and the Lord Protector isn’t helping her any, Corvo replies that he’s certain they can put some rumors to rest if he tells her Majesty of Burrows wanting to whip a child.

They never speak of this discussion again.

\-----------------------------------------

By the time evening arrives, the children are washed up and being put to bed, the maids tidying up their little messes and ignoring their protests of not being tired. Corvo watches them from the doorway, a habit he’s taken to having ever since Garrett arrived, the poor boy usually waking from nightmares and wailing loud enough to wake Emily in the middle of the night. Jessamine can be seen further in, tucking each one of them into their beds and placing a kiss on their foreheads. Ezio is quiet, staring back at her with a sheepish look and nodding when she talks to him quietly, hands clutching the sheets tightly. Emily is already out like a light, tuckered out from chasing the boys and playing hide and seek all day. It’s when she arrives at Garrett that something different happens- he’s almost asleep, but stirs when he feels her touch him.

_Mom, are you going to replace me?_ His voice is sleepy and only half registering as she tucks him in. Jessamine stops at that, eyes pained at both the fact that the boy would call her “Mom” and then think such a thing. _No, I could never replace you_ , she tells him, a whisper against his cheek as he clumsily fidgets, one hand rubbing an eye and then dropping as he finally dozes off. There is an ache the Lord Protector notices in her, one that causes her to slowly rise and think as she walks back towards him, jaw set and a determined look in her eye. _I can’t even imagine a life like theirs_ , she tells him, _I’m going to make things right. They shouldn’t have to go to bed afraid of losing something the next morning._ He scans the hall quickly, noting no one near, before he places a kiss to Jessamine’s temple. He tells her she will, and that one day, they’ll all grow up to be well-placed adults because of her guidance.

They’ll have to remain patient until then.

 

 


End file.
